Nokia makes it easier, more lucrative for developers to publish on Ovi Store

“We certainly want to see great Ugandan apps to Nokia products,” said Dorothy Ooko, Nokia Communications Manager for East and Southern Africa. “We have made it much simpler, removed obstacles and made it more lucrative for people to build apps for our phones. We believe that this will convince more developers to build apps for the millions of people, in more than 190 countries, that are using the Ovi Store on their Nokia devices.”

Design, DevelopToday, developers can distribute apps to approximately 175 million Nokia Symbian smartphones – the largest smartphone user base in the world. Qt is pre-installed on all new Nokia smartphones and downloadable to millions of smartphones people are already using. Using the Nokia Qt SDK to build their apps, developers will discover a complete, easy-to-use tool that brings a shortened workflow, simplified development and intuitive UI libraries resulting in 70 percent fewer lines of code, cutting creation time dramatically.

New opportunities for developers will include in-app purchase, enabling a wide range of app pricing options in Ovi Store such as subscription models, micro-transactions, or ”try and buy.” This means if people enjoy the free version of the app, they can easily upgrade to the paid version. It also allows developers to build added value into their apps such as the sale of virtual goods, additional levels for games, or enhanced or localized in-app features.

With the Nokia Qt SDK, developers can also future proof their app by easily adapting them to run on future mobile platforms such as MeeGo, while taking advantage of any additional features or APIs those platforms bring.

DistributeNokia will focus on making developers more money by leveraging the largest operator billing footprint available and greatly improving the operator revenue share for payments made after October 1. Nokia has also removed the time consuming and costly step of app signing. With one click, Java and Symbian apps signing is complete.

The reach of Ovi Store provides tremendous opportunities for developers with an active user base in more than 190 countries and strong local relationships with 91 of the world’s top operators. More than 50 publishers have seen more than 1 million downloads each.

First SDK for touch based mobile phonesIn addition to the refinements with the Nokia Qt SDK for smartphones and mobile computers, Nokia also announced an SDK for Series 40 Touch and Type – the industry’s first touch SDK for mobile phones. “We want to engage local developers to learn about the latest technologies and business opportunites that are at available at Nokia,” said Ms. Ooko.

Ms Ooko asked developers in Uganda to seize the opportunity to create locally relevant applications and distribute it to as many consumers as possible.

She added that the Forum Nokia seeks to bring local developers, network operators, content partners the media and Nokia experts together in a truly collaborative learning environment that explores how Nokia can help developers improve their business and tap into the growth in mobile application development opportunities worldwide.

Last year, Nokia shipped 364 million mobile phones – around a million devices every day. The new Series 40 Touch and Type SDK bring the benefit of a touch interface to a new global audience. The SDK, available for download from forum.nokia.com, will make development for these devices extremely simple and allows easy porting of existing apps created for current Nokia smartphones.

About NokiaAt Nokia, we are committed to connecting people. We combine advanced technology with personalized services that enable people to stay close to what matters to them. Every day, more than 1.3 billion people connect to one another with a Nokia device – from mobile phones to advanced smartphones and high-performance mobile computers. Today, Nokia is integrating its devices with innovative services through Ovi (www.ovi.com), including music, maps, apps, email and more. Nokia’s NAVTEQ is a leader in comprehensive digital mapping and navigation services, while Nokia Siemens Networks provides equipment, services and solutions for communications networks globally.